Hester

“Imagine a working-class voter who has just finished a second shift at work. She races home to check on her kids, then hurries over to her polling location. The last time she voted was a while ago, probably for president. No one reached out to her to vote in local elections, whenever they were—she can’t quite recall, given her jobs as a pre-K teacher and a cashier at the local pharmacy. But she tries to vote when she can. After waiting in line for nearly two hours, she reaches the front desk, identification in hand. Only, the poll worker tells her she is not on the list. Confused, she explains that she still lives at the same address and hasn’t changed anything about her circumstances. She hasn’t committed a felony, and she cares about this race because the candidate seems to have a plan for increased access to childcare. However, she sheepishly admits that she hasn’t voted since Obama won the first time. The kindly poll worker explains that the woman has probably been purged. She’s lost her right to vote because she didn’t use it often enough.”
― Stacey Abrams, Our Time Is Now: Power, Purpose, and the Fight for a Fair America

“I’ll tell you. It’s because if Hitler has his way, we’ll all be slaves—and, as an American, with our shameful history of slavery, let me tell you how monstrously horrible that would be. We’re fighting for the right to be free citizens. It’s a privilege that the Americans and British have—no matter if you’re rich or poor, you’re born free—and you can express your opinion and vote. And work. And this doesn’t just apply to men. Women are slowly but surely making strides—the vote, higher education, laws that protect our money and property. But this treatment of women—middle- and upper-class women—as though we’re children or goddesses or precious objets d’art—well, that’s a kind of slavery. So, you may want to keep me in the drawing room, or the kitchen, or the nursery—or the typing pool—but it’s simply another form of tyranny—one that we’re supposedly fighting against.”
― Susan Elia MacNeal, Mr. Churchill's Secretary

“Do not allow the things others have done to you or the betrayals you have experienced to define who you are or limit your ability to heal and grow. You are better than the things that have hurt you and”
― Zelina Chinwoh, Family is Not All You Need: A Self-Help Guide to Coping with Narcissistic Family Members and Dysfunctional Home Environments

“Phrases like “All you do is cry,” “You are too sensitive,” or “Get over it” shut down emotional expression and teach children to mistrust their inner experiences. Rather than learning to identify feelings like sadness”
― Zelina Chinwoh, Family is Not All You Need: A Self-Help Guide to Coping with Narcissistic Family Members and Dysfunctional Home Environments